Betsy Eves

About Betsy Eves

Classic creamy, smooth peanut butter makes these Peanut Butter M&M Cookies out of this world delicious and the perfect mid-week treat!

We’ve all known and loved peanut butter since childhood. What would our school lunches have been without peanut butter or a PB&J sandwich? Whether you’re a fan of creamy or chunky, peanut butter has always had a place in American culture.

But have you ever wondered how peanut butter came about? And how did it become so popular?

Peanut butter actually dates back to Aztec times. The Aztecs mashed roasted peanuts into a paste, somewhat different from what we know of as peanut butter today.

But many people have been credited with the title of peanut-butter-inventor, among them George Washington Carver. However, he did not invent peanut butter; instead he promoted more than 300 uses for peanuts, among other crops such as soy beans and sweet potatoes.

The actual invention of peanut butter, its process of manufacture and the machinery used to make it, can be credited to at least three people. In 1884 Marcellus Gilmore Edson of Canada patented peanut paste, the finished product from milling roasted peanuts between two heated surfaces.

In 1895 Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (the creator of Kellogg’s cereal) patented a process for creating peanut butter from raw peanuts. He marketed it as a healthy protein substitute for patients without teeth.

In 1903, Dr. Ambrose Straub of St. Louis, Missouri, patented a peanut-butter-making machine. In 1922, chemist Joseph Rosefield invented a process for making smooth peanut butter that kept the oil from separating by using partially hydrogenated oil.

In 1928 he licensed his invention to the company that created Peter Pan peanut butter. And in 1932 he began producing his own peanut butter under the name Skippy.

Peanut Trivia:

Peanuts are actually not nuts but legumes grown underground.

The U.S. is the third largest producer of peanuts (Georgia and Texas are the two major peanut-producing states). China and India are the first and second largest producers, respectively.

More than half of the American peanut crop goes into making peanut butter.

U.S. presidents Jimmy Carter and Thomas Jefferson were peanut farmers.

It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter.

Americans eat around 700 million pounds of peanut butter per year (about 3 pounds per person).

An average American child eats 1,500 PB&J sandwiches before graduating from high school.

Ingredients

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F degrees, Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of your sand mixer, combine the peanut butter, shortening and sugars. Beat until smooth then scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. Beat on high for 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs and mix for 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl again.

In another bowl, sift together baking soda, flour and salt. In two parts, add that mixture to the mixing bowl on low speed. Increase speed and mix until combined.

Next, add in your peanut butter, soda, flour, and salt. Mixing well.

Mix in half of the M&Ms with the mixer on low speed.

Chill dough for 1 hour.

Once chilled, roll dough into 1- 2 in. balls and place them on prepared baking sheet.

Press a few M&M’s on top of each cookie.

Bake for 8 minutes

Let cool.

Serve and enjoy!

Keywords: peanut butter, cookies, candy, peanut butter cookies

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Need a dessert to bring to your 4th of July party? This simply delicious Patriotic Sugar Cookie Cake made white chocolate chips and red, white and blue sprinkles is the perfect Independence Day dessert!

This year I’m hosing a HUGE July 4th Celebration at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, DC. I’m expecting about 3000 people to attend to enjoy food vendors, music, entertainment, carnival games and fireworks!

I don’t have to cook or bake for the celebration, however that won’t stop me from making this super cute Patriotic Sugar Cookie Cake for my kids to enjoy in the days leading up to the 4th of July!

What I love most about this dessert is how incredibly quick and easy it is to put together and bake.

The ingredients are ones that I always have on hand in my pantry so I don’t have to run to the store to pick up supplies to make.

The second thing I love about this dessert is that it’s a one-bowl recipe. Ingredients don’t need to be measured out into other bowls which means less mess, less clean up and easy baking!

My husband loves this recipe because of the white chocolate chips. You could easily substitute milk or dark chocolate chips, however the patriotic sprinkles wouldn’t stand out as much as with white chocolate chips. Making my husband love this recipe is a win in my book because he rarely likes dessert.

So what exactly is a cookie cake, you may be asking? It’s a dessert that is made with a cookie batter base but baked in a cake tin. It’s thick and rich like a cookie, but cuts like a cake into slices!

Frosting. The frosting totes makes this dessert a cake too! Lots and lots of sweet, creamy buttercream frosting decorating the top of this cookie transforms it into a decadent cake!

And the sprinkles make this dessert patriotically perfect.

Don’t you think? I mean, everything is better with sprinkles!

I think I’ll just serve myself up a big slice, grab a glass of milk and enjoy!

Nothing better than a Patriotic Sugar Cookie Cake for the 4th of July!

No matter what you’re doing to celebrate the Independence of the United State of America, celebrate it with a deliciously simple Patriotic Sugar Cookie Cake!

Patriotic Sugar Cookie Cake

Description

This simply delicious Patriotic Sugar Cookie Cake made white chocolate chips and red, white and blue sprinkles is the perfect Independence Day dessert!

Ingredients

Cookie

10 tbsp unsalted butter

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp vanilla extract

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cream of tartar

2 cups flour

1 cup white chocolate chips

¼ cup red/white/blue sprinkles

Frosting

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

2 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9-inch spring form pan by spraying the bottom and sides with non-stick spray.

Combine the butter and sugar in a medium bowl and mix until smooth. Add in the egg, vanilla, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar. Mix until well combined. Slowly add in the flour and mix until fully incorporated. Fold in the white chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into your prepared spring form pan and press to the edges. Top with a few more white chocolate chips for presentation.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, just until edges are a golden brown color. Remove from the oven and allow cooling for 15 minutes. Then, remove the spring form side and allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

With a stand mixer or a hand mixer, combine the butter and powdered sugar. Add in the salt, vanilla and heavy cream. Mix everything until it’s smooth and creamy.

Scoop into a piping bag with a 1m tip and decorate your cake.

Top with sprinkles before the icing sets.

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Life has been so super duper chaotic lately. If you’ve been following me on Instagram or Facebook you’ll see that I have been super quiet there. These adorable lamb cookies make me happy and I really hope you love them too.

In early April, I was in a massive (for me) car accident where I was rear ended on the highway. I had to bring my car to a quick stop because the cars in front of me were stopping. The car behind me was still going full speed and plowed into the back of me. The car behind that guy didn’t slow down or stop either so I got hit a second time.

The two impacts caused my body to be thrown back and forth in my seat and my head to hit the headrest repeatedly. An ambulance came and took me to the local emergency room.

The doctors there ruled out a spinal cord injury but they did conclude I had a concussion.

Also, my car was totaled… but that’s a story for another day.

For the weeks following the accident, I suffered through some of the hardest days of my life personally. I’ve been able to handle a lot when it comes to my husband, kids and family… however when it came to dealing with my head injury, it was a lot harder to deal with.

Thus my blog, my work, my life needed to be put on pause then reset.

Fast forward a few more weeks and here I am. Not back to 100%, I probably never will be, but back to a point where I can type, write, and begin to think about the future.

This recipe is not an original, but it is one that I think you’ll like. You’ll be seeing more of these kinds of posts for the foreseeable future because I just need the time to heal.

I know you’ll understand… because if you’ve gotten this far into my post… you’re a loyal JavaCupcake fan and you’ve always been there for me.

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with wax paper.

Begin by preparing your fondant shapes: add 3-4 drops of black gel food coloring to your fondant and fold and knead until completely colored. On a surface lightly dusted with cornstarch, roll out your fondant to be about ¼ of an inch thick and cut 12 small circles. These will be your lambs’ head.

Shape smaller pieces of your dark grey fondant into tiny oval shapes. Make 24 of them: these will act as your lamb’s ears.

Microwave your white candy in 30-second intervals until completely melted. With a fork, dip each Oreo into the candy and set on your lined baking sheet.

Place one circle-shaped fondant in the center of each Oreo cookie. Sprinkle your shredded coconut on each one.

Using a toothpick, apply a bit of white candy melts on the back of each fondant ear. Gently place on each Oreo cookie.

Apply the candy melts on your candy eyes and your sprinkles. Apply on face of each lamb.

Allow to set for at least 30-45 minutes.

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The Dog Tag Bakery Brownie is a rich, decadent brownie, dipped in chocolate and gently rolled in a potato chip crumble. This delicious twist on Dog Tag Inc.’s classic brownie recipe offers the perfect combination of chocolate indulgence with a hint of salt.

I am so EXCITED about this Dog Tag Bakery Brownie! It’s been four years in the making for Dog Tag Bakery to reach this level of national success.

Founded in 2014 by Fr. Rick Curry, SJ and Ms. Constance Milstein, Dog Tag Inc. was born out of the shared conviction that no veteran, military spouse, or caregiver who wants to work and pursue their career goals should be unemployed.

Their founders drew on their experiences as social innovators and advocates for veterans and persons with disabilities to create a national model to support veterans and their families as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

Together, Father Curry and Ms. Milstein have convened educators, experts, and leading entrepreneurs to ensure that Dog Tag Inc. remains a robust, enriching, and sustainable social enterprise.

My journey with Dog Tag Inc. began in July 2016 when I was selected as a Fellow in Cohort 4 of their Entrepreneurial Fellowship Program. We had only moved to the DC area a few months earlier, my husband was in the middle of the Medical Board process to get out of the Army, and I was trying to figure out what was next for me in this transition.

The Dog Tag Inc. Fellowship Program allowed me the space, time, and support to find myself as an individual. I learned what my strengths were outside of being a military spouse and caregiver.

I learned that I AM STRONG, CAPABLE AND EMPOWERING!

I took the skills I had learned in the 10 years as an Army spouse along with the 8 years of blogging and turned it into a consulting business. I now teach other small businesses and non-profits how to manage their own social media and online marketing.

So today – I’m proud to announce the launch of the new Dog Tag Bakery brownie to be sold in Starbucks stores Nationwide!

DOG TAG BAKERY AND STARBUCKS RECOGNIZE NATIONAL MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH WITH THE LAUNCH OF A DARK CHOCOLATE & POTATO CHIP BROWNIE AT STARBUCKS STORES

Georgetown’s favorite pastry destination, Dog Tag Bakery, will launch the Dog Tag Bakery Brownie on May 1, 2018 at Starbucks locations nationwide in honor of National Military Appreciation Month. This brownie is a delicious twist on Dog Tag Bakery’s classic recipe, topped with a salted potato chip crumble, and will be available in over 8,000+ participating Starbucks locations nationwide starting May 1, 2018 until June 4, 2018 (or while supplies last).

Inspired by a shared commitment to helping our veterans and military families, Dog Tag Bakery developed this special limited-edition brownie for Starbucks customers to help raise awareness for veteran causes. Dog Tag Bakery’s entrepreneurial fellowship program combines education with hands-on experience to create a living business school, to build a bridge to employment and to help veterans, military spouses and caregivers find fulfillment in their professional and personal lives. To learn more about Dog Tag Bakery’s program, please visit www.DogTagInc.org.

Together we’re #BakingADifference in the lives of our veterans and military families.

This post has been sponsored by Coffee-mate® Creamer. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rich layers of espresso filled chocolate cake topped with whipped cookies and cream buttercream, a drizzle of chocolate ganache and more buttercream make this Mocha Cookies and Cream Cake a decadent dessert sure to please the chocolate lovers in your life!

Imagine a quiet afternoon with no kids, no distractions and and hour to yourself. Now, imagine holding a big cup of steaming, hot coffee topped off with Coffee-mate® Cookies & Cream creamer while seated comfortably on the couch under a cozy blanket with a big slice of cake to indulge in.

Sounds like heaven right?

Let me tell you… it was. This was me about two weeks ago, right before my kids were home for 13 days (snow days and spring break) enjoying a few cherished moments of silence.

Feeling inspired by my new favorite Coffee-mate Dessert Creamer in the Cookies & Cream flavor, I decided to recreate the magic of that afternoon in cake form.

However in order to make this Mocha Cookies and Cream Cake I needed a recipe! I knew I’d start with my chocolate cake recipe, but I needed to kick it up a big notch by adding more espresso to the batter to really bring out the coffee flavor.

Two tablespoons of espresso powder to be exact!

Two tablespoons of espresso in one cake means there will truly be a strong coffee flavor to the chocolate cake making it mocha-licious!

The Coffee-mate® Cookies & Cream Creamer reminds me of what it tastes like when I eat a chocolate cream sandwich cookie and dunk it in milk. I like my cookie extra soaked in milk so it gets mushy and melts in my mouth and the Coffee-mate Cookies & Cream creamer tastes exactly like that… but with coffee!

To replicate the cookies and cream flavor for the frosting in the Mocha Cookies and Cream Cake, I decided to start with a basic vanilla buttercream recipe.

I would whip the vanilla buttercream until it was light and fluffy and then fold in 16 crushed chocolate cream sandwich cookies! The cookies would need to be a little chunky so when I bite into the frosting, I get a piece of cookie in several bites.

To add some pizzazz to the cake, I knew it needed to not only taste good, but it needed to look spectacular!

Drip cake! Yes! Chocolate ganache dripping down the sides of the cake would take this mocha cookies and cream cake over the top! Swirls of cookies and cream buttercream and a few whole coffee beans on top make the cake perfects!

For supplies, I knew I only had one choice of stores to stock up on supplies for this sinfully delicious Mocha Cookies and Cream Cake… Walmart!

What I love about Walmart is that the location in my neighborhood is so close to me making shopping incredibly convenient! Walmart is my go-to place for easy shopping trips, especially when I’m on a budget.

Did you know that you can get Coffee-mate Dessert Creamers in three different flavors at Walmart? They’re super easy to find at the store… located with the rest of the coffee creamers in the cold dairy section. These creamers are NEW and only available seasonally so if you want to try them, you have to act fast!

You already know I’m sold on the Cookies & Cream flavor but there’s also Toasted Marshmallow Mocha and Coconut Caramel Latte that you won’t want to miss out on either.

And on May 10-13th you might even be lucky enough to try Coffee-mate Dessert Creamers in your local Walmart store!

So, the next time you’re sitting down to enjoy a quiet afternoon with your cup of coffee, make sure you’re using Coffee-mate Dessert Creamers… you never know what kind of dessert you’ll be inspired to make next!

Check here for more inspiration and details on the new Coffee-mate Dessert Creamers at Walmart!

I really hope you enjoy this Mocha Cookies and Cream Cake as much as I did, my photographer did and everyone we shared it with!

Instructions

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter. Add the coffee, espresso powder, cocoa powder, and vanilla and whisk until combined. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream and the eggs. SLOWLY add a few tablespoons of the chocolate mixture to the sour cream and eggs. Whisk to combine. In a slow stream, whisk in the remaining chocolate mixture until combined completely.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in wet. Using a whisk, stir until no more lumps remain.

Divide the batter evenly into the 2 prepared pans. Each pan should get 3 cups of batter.

Bake 26-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pans to cool on a wire rack.

Once the cakes have cooled, but are still warm, use a cake leveler to cut off the round mound on the top of the cake. Make sure both layers are the same height.

Cookies n’ Cream Buttercream

In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and half the cream until smooth.

Mix in the vanilla and salt and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl.

With the mixer on low, add the remaining cream. Whip on high speed for 3-4 minutes.

Crush the sandwich cookies until coarse. Add to the buttercream and mix until just combined.

Chocolate Ganache

In a small pan, heat heavy cream to a simmer. Do not boil.

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Let sit for 3 minutes without stirring.

With a spatula, stir slowly until all the chocolate has melted.

Add butter and stir to combine.

Pour into a squeeze bottle.

Assembly

Place the first cooled cake layer on your cake stand/plate, cut side up. Spread a layer of frosting onto of that layer evenly.

Place the second layer on top, cut side down. Fill in the sides where the layers come together so that the frosting in the center extends all the way to the edge.

Spread a very thin coat of frosting over the entire cake. Chill for 20-30 minutes.

Fill a 12in piping bag fitted with an open start tip with frosting. Use the remaining frosting to completely cover the cake.

Use a straight edge to smooth out the top and edges of the cake.

Using the squeeze bottle, start in the center of the top of the cake and squeeze the ganache in an circular pattern until it just reaches the edge of the cake. Use a flat edge (spatula or knife) to press the chocolate over the edges causing a drip. If necessary, squeeze more chocolate on the edges in places that need more dripped chocolate. Allow to set for 10 minutes to set.

Pipe swirls of frosting on top of the cake equally around the edge of the cake.

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Fresh berries, biscuits, and cream layered together make this French-inspired Raspberry Tiramisu recipe an instant classic sure to please!

This post and recipe was created for #EasterSweetsWeek. I was sent samples by some of the sponsor companies but as always opinions are 100% mine.

My good friend and photographer Fanette is French… and with her comes a lifetime worth of food experiences that I’ve never even imagined.

French cuisine and baking is one avenue which I have never explored and the benefit of having a French friend who is also a foodie means she bakes and I eat!

This recipe is a part of #EasterSweetsWeek!
Make sure to scroll down after the recipe to ENTER TO WIN
some great prizes from our sponsors!

I asked if Fanette help out with a recipe for #EasterSweetsWeek and she jumped at the chance to make something from her childhood.

Fanette has fond memories of her grandmother in France making a delicious dessert made of raspberries and cream and wanted to make that for today.

Unfortunately, recipes in France often call for ingredients only found in France… not America.

So, Fanette decided on this recipe for Raspberry Tiramisu inspired by what her grandmother in France made for her as a child.

Fanette’s Raspberry Tiramisu is a simple, layered dessert that is nothing short of spectacular in flavor. Trust me, I had about three servings the first time she served it to me and then took home two more for leftovers.

The first layer is fresh berries that have been mashed until juicy. Dipped in the berries and juice are traditional French boudoirs biscuits… or as we call them in America, Lady Fingers.

Once the lady fingers are soaked in berry, they line the bottom of the serving dish and are immediately topped with more fresh berries. Following the berries is a cream mixture that may surprise you.

The cream mixture is made from not only heavy cream, but eggs and mascarpone cheese! For American’s this mixture may seem strange, but to those in France it’s a traditional cream mixture used in many desserts.

Let me tell you – we’re missing out here in America because this Raspberry Tiramisu is AMAZING.

The tart berries, the crunch and sweetness of the biscuits paired with the creamy, smooth, rich cream is pure perfection. I can see why Fanette loved when her grandmother made desserts with this cream and berries and why it’s still a favorite today.

So, thank you to Fanette for being inspired by her family to make this for us today.

I am incredibly thankful to have a friend who loves to share her culture and her recipes with me.

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Welcome to this year’s #EasterSweetWeek event hosted by Angie from Big Bear’s Wife. We’re so glad that you’ve joined us for this week long event of Springtime and Easter dessert recipes! We’re sharing tons of treats this week plus a few fantastic giveaways! You’re going to love what we have in store for you.

This year we have are 28 fantastic bloggers participating in this year’s Easter dessert event! Throughout the week we’ll be share tons of great Springtime and Easter themed dessert recipes with you. With over 75 sweet dessert recipes being shared this week we just know that you’re going to want to save some of these recipes to make again and again! We even hope that some of these recipes end up in your Easter recipe keepsake collection! Plus, don’t forget that we have 5 (five) great giveaways for you this week thanks to our amazing sponsors!

PRIZE #5

Giveaway open to US Residents 18 years or older.. All entries will be verified. No PO Boxes Please. Prizes will be sent directly from sponsors to winners, bloggers are not responsible for prizes. This giveaway runs from Marh 26th – April 1st at 12AMEST. Winners will be selected soon afterwards and contacted by e-mail. Winners will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. There are a total of 5 (five) prizes and therefore we will have a total of 5 (five) winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.